Jobs bonanza as up to 300 Home Office roles on way to Sheffield

​Up to 300 Home Office jobs are being created in Sheffield as the Government faces a hugely increased workload to prepare for Brexit.

The department is recruiting 'frontline' Border Force officers to help train workers ahead of the nation's exit from the EU.

The Star understands most, if not all, of the jobs are coming to Sheffield as there is a major visa processing centre on Millsands in the city centre.

However, a Home Office spokeswoman said the 300 number 'wasn't specific to the city'.

She added: "Ahead of Brexit, there will be an additional 300 frontline Border Force officers to allow us to deliver training to our existing workforce, in preparation for any future arrangements required for EU exit at the border. This number could change depending on the outcome of negotiations and workflow monitoring.

The vacancies come as the Home Office hires hundreds more workers to register the three million EU citizens living in Britain. They will be allowed to stay after Brexit but must give their details to the Government.

​The Government has already hired 700 more immigration caseworkers and wants to find another 500 over the next six months.

But the move comes as immigration lawyers in written evidence to the Commons home affairs select committee said even this level of extra staffing fell far short of the needed capacity, leaving each caseworker responsible for 1, 500 of the three million EU registration applications.

They also reportedly said UK visas and immigration officials had told a recent business immigration conference that they faced a particular problem in “enticing staff to move to Sheffield, the city having been designated as the global processing centre.”

Further concern has been raised about a decision to move assessments of applications from regional hubs around the world to Sheffield. The solicitors McGill & Co said in October that long delays were being faced by a large number of people whose visa applications were being considered.

​Creative Sheffield, the city’s economic development agency, held a meeting with the Home Office to discuss how to promote Sheffield as an attractive location in which to live and work.

A council spokesman said Creative Sheffield would be meeting the Home Office to "see what their needs are."

The authority said Sheffield was a “highly popular city to live, work and study in."